The Mouse found his middle ground with the FSU football recruits booted out of Downtown Disney, lifting the lifetime ban against them but not apologizing. If you understand Disney, you know that publicly backtracking was by no means an easy decision. I think what happened was cooler heads had a chance to review the situation.

Now Bobby Bowden can review it and send these kids a note saying they had better not be trying to get in any more bars. Their parents ought to be more concerned with that than with Disney’s actions. At least the teens don’t seem very adept at it. Back in the day, we all had very good fake IDs .

Judging by the complaints I’ve heard about Downtown, it is obvious there is a problem with some kids there and that a crackdown is warranted.

Mouse Security should document the problem behavior and have sheriff’s deputies note it in their reports when they boot the kids, innoculating them against any allegation they are picking on minorities – which I do not believe. It could be that the exiled were bothering other guests, using profanity, getting boisterous, etc.

Disney also might consider imposing some kind of curfew, allowing only 21-year-olds at Downtown Disney after 9 p.m. unless they are with parents. If the problem is bad enough, Disney also could set up a nominal parking fee in the evening, with an annual pass, which at least requires people to drive through a gate – one with a very visable license plate camera. That itself can be a deterrent to people who come to deal drugs or cause other mischief.

While I agree that the outcome is a pretty good compromise, I still think the incident serves as an eye-opener. Perhaps the young men involved were perceived as problematic because they had the star athelete’s sense of entitilement. But would “Chip Tripp, QB from Darien, Connecticut” be subject to the same overkill resonse from Disney if he had spoken out against being evicted without cause?

I visited Downtown Disney on holiday (vacation to you!) in April/May 2006. We stayed in a hotel in Lake Buena Vista and spent much of our time visiting Disney including the Downtown Disney area.
My family and I never felt threatened or intimidated at any time during our stay, including visits to Downtown Disney after midnight on a Friday night. Has it changed that much in the last year?
My only disappointment from my trip was that the whole area seemed to only be populated by tourists, not local people. However, in the UK we are warned not to stray from the tourist areas as it might not be safe. Is this still true?
Surely the removal of youths from the Downtown Disney area is more for economic rather than racial reasons? Orlando is a city built by Disney – it wouldn’t exist in its present form without it. Therefore, it is understandable that the mouse and the local authorities work together to keep the area sanitised for the middle class, (relatively) affluent people who spend money in the local economy.
From my own anecdotal observation, the number of people inside the parks (including Universal and Seaworld as well as Disney) who were of a non-white background seemed disproportionately small. Did I misjudge this aswell?
On a positive note, we had such a great time that 9 members of my family are visiting again in October this year. Staying in tourist land (Lake Buena Vista again!) but would love to have some places recommended to visit where local Orlando Floridians live.

Get on Interstate 4 and head east toward downtown Orlando, a historic district that dates back to the 1870s, when London ex-pats settled the area to grow citrus.
Thornton Park in particular has many lovely shops, bistros, cafes and scenic walking tours. Very safe and lots of fun. That is where you will find the locals.
Here is a link to a feature from the Washington Post… “Orlando’s Thornton Park: Anything But Mousy”http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/06/AR2005050600691.html
Enjoy your trip!

My Dear Mr. Protheroe-
If I may say so, there are two logical reasons that explain why for the most part you only saw tourists & very few locals during your last stay.
First of all, it’s common knowledge that the theme parks do their best to keep their guests on their respective properties; it keeps your money concentrated in their pockets.
Secondly, as a rule of thumb, we locals do’n't visit those areas that much unless we’re working at the attractions, resorts, restaurants, etc., because for one thing, we can’t afford to go all that often, and then there’s the matter of the attractions being so far from where we live it doesn’t make too much sense to go out there unless we have a good reason to do so.
As for Greater Orlando being unsafe, well, all I can say from a few decades of living here is that yes, there are some areas where we local fear to tread, which you might well expect in an area with a population close to a million people in a 6-7 county area, but I dare say we’re no more or less dangerous than any other similar place (how’s that for damning with faint praise?)
As far as looking beyond the attractions, may I suggest that you surf the internet for websites like ICFlorida.com, or look for books about daytrips through Florida, Florida off the Beaten Path, those sort of things.
Because you’re right. There is more to Central Florida than the attractions. Happy hunting.

Many Thanks for the comments and advice – I am aware that the Mouse is after my money but he takes it so nicely. Why is it that when people working in your service sector say “have a nice day” or something similar, it sounds like they really mean it? When people say that to you in the UK it sounds like they are taking the p—?
Thanks again for your responses.

Hey Ian, if you want to see what locals do and see some natural FL beauty, head to Wekiwa Springs and take a canoe down the Wikiva River. We usually rent a canoe from King’s Landing. Get there early and try to be as quiet as possible on the water and you’ll be amazed by the wildlife you’ll see.